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Method

For the pastry, put the flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk (save the white for the meringue) and 1 tbsp cold water into a food processor. Using the pulse button so the mix is not overworked, process until the mix starts to bind. Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather together until smooth, then roll out and line a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottom fluted flan tin. Trim and neaten the edges. Press pastry into flutes. The pastry is quite rich, so don’t worry if it cracks, just press it back together. Prick the base with a fork, line with foil, shiny side down, and chill for 1⁄2-1 hour (or overnight).

Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Bake the pastry case ‘blind’ (filled with dry beans) for 15 mins, then remove the foil and bake a further 5-8 mins until the pastry is pale golden and cooked. Set aside. (Can be done a day ahead if you want to get ahead.) Lower the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

While the pastry bakes, prepare the filling: mix the cornflour, sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Strain and stir in the lemon juice gradually. Make orange juice up to 200ml/7fl oz with water and strain into the pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Once the mixture bubbles, remove from the heat and beat in the butter until melted. Beat the egg yolks (save white for meringue) and whole egg together, stir into the pan and return to a medium heat. Keep stirring vigorously for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens and plops from the spoon. (It will bubble, but doesn’t curdle.) Take off the heat and set aside while you make the meringue.

Put the egg whites in a large bowl. Whisk to soft peaks, then add half the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking between each addition without overbeating. Whisk in the cornflour, then add the rest of the sugar as before until smooth and thick. Quickly reheat the filling and pour it into the pastry case. Immediately put spoonfuls of meringue around the edge of the filling (if you start in the middle the meringue may sink), then spread so it just touches the pastry (this will anchor it and help stop it sliding). Pile the rest into the centre, spreading so it touches the surface of the hot filling (and starts to cook), then give it all a swirl. Return to the oven for 18-20 mins until the meringue is crisp and slightly coloured. Let the pie sit in the tin for 30 mins, then remove and leave for at least another 1⁄2-1 hr before slicing. Eat the same day.

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Comments, questions and tips

Comments

This was my first attempt at making a meringue of any sort and it turned out perfectly! I have to admit that I did cheat and use shop brought pastry though! My mother in law came round for lunch and declared it the best lemon meringue pie she had ever tasted - absolutely stunning!

Hi guys, this is not in relation to the recipe on this page but I need some help.

I am 16 years old and I may be entering a chef competiton. It is asking me to create a three course healthy menu for two all together under Â£14. I would prefer this menu to be British but I am struggling to find recipe mathcing my time scale of 2 hours and tryng to find something tasty and healthy

Absolutely delicious first time i have tackled a LMP but it was great, the meringue was perfect I couldnt believe it!! The only thing i would comment was it was a little bit too tart perhaps next time use slightly less lemon juice.

Ultimate is the word! The curd filling is surprisingly easy to makes and is just gorgeous. The orange juice adds a lovely depth to it. My meringue went a little flat but I think this was more to do with my leaving it for too long before adding the sugar than anything else. Divine!!!

Fantastic recipe. A little more to do than I expected but the best bit was reading the last line of the recipe - "must be eaten the same day" - not having made this pudding before, this was news to me but REALLY not a problem! Would recommend but would advise making the pastry the day before as it's one less thing to do! Thank you

Really delicious and dead easy. I made the pastry and it totally crumbled when i tried to transfer it to the tin, but I patched it and you would never notice! I have to say mine looked nothing like the picture, much flatter - but still tasted fabulous and my friends were really impressed - did not have the heart to tell them how simple it was so just sat back and basked in the praise!

I used the meringue recipe from this pie to top another pie I was making. I hadn't used it before and did not read the comments beforehand. I used 2tbsp of cornflour and the meringue couldn't have been better so I'm not sure that it is a mistake.

I made this for dinner with friends at my husbands request. The challenge was to make one as good as his mum's! My first ever lemon meringue pie was a huge success with compliments from our friends and my husband said it was fantastic! The only downside was that the lemon filling was not very deep compared to the huge meringue - next time I might increase the quantity.

The fact that the meringue needs 2 tsp of cornflour and not 2 tbsp is very annoying. It felt wrong when I was making it! this recipe needs altering on the site.

Also, big warning. I took the pastry case out of the tin before I filled it. I thought it would be easier to manage afterwards......the whole case collapsed in the oven. So, although it tasted fine it didn't look as good as it should have done.

Fantastic result. used two teaspoons of cornflour in the meringue and also cooked it for longer than stated to get a meringue with crisp outside and soft marshmallowy centre. Might think about using ordinary caster sugar in the meringue as the golden caster sugar I used was a bit grainy. Made the filling and then reheated it before putting in the pastry case which worked fine. Chilled the pastry overnight and did not trim until after the case was baked blind which gives a good edge to the pastry case.

Having presumed that a lemon meringue pie would be easy to make, I was pleasantly surprised by this easy to follow recipie! I took advise from previous reviewers and only used 2 teaspoons of cornflour in the meringue- a super suggestion.

I have always enjoyed a tangy desert so I cheekily decided to add in the zest of an extra lemon, a worthwhile risk which paid off.

Top tip: Whisking the egg whites by hand (although a chore!) allowed the fine control needed to produce a smooth yet fluffy meringue- just perfect.

I noted the recipie says eat the same day- this didn't cause too much of a problem in our house..tee hee!

ahhh i made this recipe but made then into mini pies using a muffin tin. They went down a STORM and were very easy to eat. There were a bit fiddly baking the patty tin blind etc but well worth it if you get spare time.
FAB recipe, highly recommend!!!!

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